Consider this: Breaking the logjams

In Albany, the Senate’s five-member Independent Democratic Conference, including Sen. Dave Valesky, D-Oneida, may help break the partisan logjam and helping Gov. Andrew Cuomo move along his agenda.

On a visit to The Post-Standard’s editorial board Friday, Valesky joined IDC colleagues Jeffrey Klein, D-Bronx, and Diane Savino, D-Staten Island, to explain how their involvement helped achieve agreement on gun control legislation by insisting GOP-backed proposals to increase penalties for gun law violations be included. They predicted their continued engagement will be instrumental in raising the state’s minimum wage this year.

In Washington, meanwhile, Senate leaders this week agreed on procedural reforms that could speed the legislative process — though they failed to end the “phantom filibuster” that allows a minority of senators to hold legislation hostage unless there are at least 60 votes in favor.

The filibuster used to be a last-ditch strategy to prevent the majority from steamrolling the minority. During the Obama administration, however, Republicans learned that invoking the threat of a filibuster is enough to block legislation. In those four years, the GOP threatened filibusters more than 250 times, in contrast to just 58 times during a prior 53-year period.

It appeared last week that senators were summoning the courage to restore the principle that a simple majority — 51 votes — carries the day except in unusual cases. That would have been a big boost for Democrats, with 55 votes in the newly seated Senate.

In the end, the agreement only limits the power of a single senator or a small group to stall legislation backed by both party leaders. It also reduces the length of debates over routine presidential nominations.

So GOP obstructionism could continue, unless — well, unless the very fact the two sides can agree on anything suggests Republicans may be growing more cooperative. “If there’s a constructive attitude,” mused Senate leader Dick Durbin, D-Ill., “it may help things.”